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Stetson University Director of Athletics Jeff Altier announced today the hiring of Ernie Yarborough as the new head coach for the Hatters’ men’s soccer program. Yarborough will begin his duties Friday, Aug. 8.

Yarborough replaces the late T. Logan Fleck as head coach at Stetson. Fleck passed away earlier this month.

“Coach Yarborough came to our attention from multiple recommendations including several Stetson alums,” Altier said. “The search committee members, along with these former Hatters players, were extremely impressed with Coach Yarborough’s experience, work ethic, organization, integrity and commitment to the development of student-athletes.”

A native of Orlando, and a recent Hall of Fame inductee at Dr. Phillips High School, Yarborough comes to Stetson from Indiana University, which is one of the preeminent men’s soccer programs in the NCAA.

“It is with great excitement and a heavy heart that I accept the position of Head Men's Soccer Coach at Stetson University,” Yarborough said. “While I'm truly excited for this opportunity, I want to first pay my respects to the late Coach Fleck and all he has done, not only for Stetson University, but also for all of college soccer. Both Stetson and collegiate soccer are better off for all of the work he has done.

“I'd also like to thank Stetson University President Dr. Wendy Libby, Athletic Director Jeff Altier and Associate Athletic Director Alicia Queally for providing me with the opportunity and confidence to guide Stetson Men's Soccer going forward. It has been a dream of mine for some time to lead a Division I program, and I look forward to using my depth of knowledge and skill to help take Stetson to new heights both on the field and in the classroom."

Yarborough has served as an assistant coach at his alma mater since 2009. His other stops over more than 17 years as a collegiate coach have included the University of Wisconsin, the University of Michigan and UAB.

“With 17 years of Division I experience, I am most impressed with the constant athletic success of every team he has been involved with,” Altier said. “Coach Yarborough was instrumental in the development of a startup program at Michigan, helping lead it to an ‘Elite Eight’ appearance in the program’s fourth year, as well as assisting in three national championship teams at Indiana.”

Yarborough, who played at Indiana University for legendary coach Jerry Yeagley from 1991-95, helped the Hoosiers to four Big Ten titles and made two Final Four appearances as a goalkeeper. He played professionally for one year before launching full-time into his coaching career.

After one year as a high school coach he returned to IU as an assistant. During that first tenure on the IU staff the Hoosiers compiled a 68-6 record and won back-to-back NCAA championships in 1998-99.

From there he moved on to Michigan where he spent six seasons. During that time the Wolverines reached the Big Ten championship once and made two NCAA appearances, reaching the Elite Eight in 2003.

From Michigan he spent two seasons as UAB, helping the Blazers post two of their lowest goals against averages in the programs’ history.

Yarborough joined up with Todd Yeagley, the son of the Indiana head coach, as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin in 2009 before joining the younger Yeagley back at Indiana for the 2010 season.

Teams Yarborough has coached have won seven Big Ten regular season titles as well as eight Big Ten Tournament crowns. He was a part of 14 teams as a player and coach to have made appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including three national championship teams.

"Stetson has made a fantastic hire with Ernie Yarborough,” current IU head coach Todd Yeagley said. “Ernie has all the qualities and skills to run a championship program. Ernie will be sorely missed at IU and we are thankful for all his years of loyal work at Indiana. Ernie will do a wonderful job building upon T. Logan Fleck’s legacy at Stetson.”

A 1995 graduate of Indiana University with a degree in Criminal Justice, Yarborough and his wife, the former Jill Fishback of Muncie, Ind., have two children, Samantha and Woody.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT ERNIE YARBOROUGH

“Stetson has made a great choice in hiring Ernie Yarborough to lead the men’s soccer program. I had the privilege to coach Ernie at Indiana University. His work ethic, skill and knowledge of the game influenced me to ask him to join our coaching staff at IU after his graduation. Ernie proved to be an outstanding and valuable coach and administrator during his tenure at IU.

“Ernie’s vast experience at top level programs has definitely prepared him for this position. He knows what it takes to build a championship caliber program. It is without question that I feel Coach Yarborough will bring a high level of success to the Stetson program.” – Jerry Yeagley, former head coach, Indiana University

“Ernie Yarborough is a great coach who has had great success everywhere he has been. I am confident he will raise Stetson Soccer to new levels.” – Mike Getman, Head Coach, UAB

“Ernie is a fantastic hire for Stetson University! He brings an abundance of energy, passion and determination. As much as Ernie loves soccer, he knows the most important thing about collegiate athletics is student-athlete welfare. He will go beyond the perceived limits to make his players better human beings, students and teammates. Ernie’s knows every facet of managing a men’s soccer college program, and this will allow his players to prosper in a high performance culture. I wish him nothing but the best of luck.” – Paul Snape, Head Coach, Butler University

"I am thrilled to learn that Ernie has been named the Head Coach at Stetson. He is a very hardworking, dedicated, and enthusiastic coach that will get the best out of his players. I believe Ernie is a big reason I became the competitor and goalkeeper I am today from our time together at UAB." – Carl Woszczynski, former UAB student-athlete & currently goalkeeper for Orlando City Soccer Club

“I got to play for Ernie for a year and I was immediately impressed with how much knowledge of the game he had. He was a great person and great coach to play for and I am confident he will do a great job at Stetson! – Will Bruin, 2010 Big Ten Player of the Year & current member of the Houston Dynamo

"Coach Yarborough was very instrumental in my growth as a player and as a person. I learned a great deal from him because of his passion, attention to detail and care for each player he coaches. Congratulations to Stetson, as they are getting a Head Coach with a tremendous amount of experience in developing great soccer players and people. Coach Yarborough will do a wonderful job in building on the existing foundation of the Men’s Soccer program." -- Knox Cameron, 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

"It was truly an honor being able to play for Coach Ernie Yarborough at Indiana University. He was a great mentor on the field and helped me to better myself as a goalkeeper every day, both in trainings and in games. But, Ernie was truly the glue that kept the program running behind the scenes. Without his countless hours of organizing team events, road trips, and all other team administration details, our teams would not have had the success that we were able to have. Ernie has an incredible soccer mind and is truly passionate about the success of his players both on and off the field. It is tough to see him leave the Indiana University coaching staff, but I know that Coach Ernie will bring his love for the game and his desire for success to Stetson University and will be a great head coach." -- Luis Soffner, captain of Indiana's 2012 National Championship team and goalkeeper for the New England Revolution

“I know a lot of people are smiling in college soccer today as one its most well-liked and long overdue assistants has been named to lead a program of his own. Ernie has had a hand in some of the great teams in college soccer over the past two decades and while doing so both provided his insight to and learned from several of the nation’s top coaches. Add in his ties to Florida, his experience at a top private institution and his magnetic personality and I think Stetson not only has made a great choice but moreso someone who will be have no problem acclimating to the quick turnaround with the season just two weeks away.” -- Andy Fleming, Xavier University Head Coach